Pole cap



. May 19, 1966 J. H. FINGER ETAL 3,250,050

I I POLE CAP Filed June 17, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet l 3/ INVENTORS JAMES H. FINGER WILLIAM L. WILLIAMS Fl. 5 FIG.6

y 1966 J. H. FINGER ETAL 3,250,050

POLE CAP Filed June 17, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG.8

FIG. l0

INVENTORS JAMES H. FINGER WILLIAM L. WILLIAMS United States Patent 3,250,050 POLE CAP James Henry Finger, Scottdale, and William L. Williams, West Chester, Pa., assignors to Millmont Industries, Inc., West Leisenring, Pa., a corporation of Pennsyl- Vania Filed June 17, 1963, Ser. Nor288,172 Claims. (Cl. 52.--301) This invention relates to protective coverings for outdoor poles and particularly to an improved cap for utility poles of the type described and claimed in our co-pending application Ser. No. 225,663, filed September 24, 196-2, and is a continuation-in-part thereof.

As disclosed in the above application, which is incorporated herein by reference, it has been found highly desir-able to install a protective cap or cover on utility .poles to prevent rotting and deterioration of the top of the pole. If this can. be accomplished, pole life may be extended for substantial periods of time since it has been found in practice that rotting or other infestation of the pole rarely occurs along the length of the pole.

A primary object of the present invention is to provide an improved protective cap for utility poles or the like which may be readily installed, and which provides limited air circulation within the cap.

A further object of the invention is to provide'a protective cap for utility poles and the like having a series of reinforced axial ribs which facilitates installation of the cap and in one form provides axial circulation. I

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved method for installing the pole cap of the present invention.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved net or implement for installing protective pole caps.

Further objects will be apparent from the specification and drawingsin which FIG. 1 isa perspective showing our improved protective cap in place on top of a utility pole,

FIG. 2 is a perspective showing the bottom of the cap before installation,

FIG. 3 is a partial sectional view as seen in the direction of the arrows 33 in FIG. 2,

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary bottom view as seen at 4-4 of FIG. 3,

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary bottom view similar to FIG. 4 of a modified form,

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary bottom view similar to FIGS. 4 and 5 showing a further modification,

FIG. 7 is a perspective showing an improved installation tool for the cap of FIGS. 1-6,

FIG. 8 shows a tool with which the cap may be positioned in the implement of FIG. 7,

FIG. 9 shows the first step in the installation of the cap on the top of a pole, and

FIG. 10 shows the cap on the pole and the implement ready to be removed.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, our improved protective cap comprises an annular skirt 16 which is secured to a circular top or rim 17 by sewing, cementing or in any other convenient manner. The interior of the skirt 16 is provided with a plurality of axially extending stiffening ribs-18, 18. These ribs may be of wood, metal or synthetic plastic and cemented to the inside of the skirt 16. In the preferred form I show four ribs 18 which extend from the bottom of the skirt to a point closely adjacent the top 17 (FIG. 3). When the cap is installed on the pole P as shown in FIG. 1, these ribs '18 permit limited circulation of air inside the skirt. The most important function of the ribs, however, is to which would otherwise hinder installation.

maintain the skirt in an extended open position from top to bottom which greatly facilitates the installation of the cap on the pole, particularly where the lineman must apply'the cap around lines and cross trees that are already installed on the pole. Each of the ribs 18 is provided with a loop 20 which extends through the skirt in the form of FIGS. 2 and 3, so that the loop may be engaged over one or more of the tines 21 on the installing tool 22 (FIG. 7). 'This tool comprises an annular ring or hoop 23 to which the tines 21 are secured integrally or otherwise. A handle 24 may extend in the same plane as the ring 23 or may be bent or curved as may be desired to facilitate installation.

Each of the loops 20 on the contracted cap as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 is hooked over one of the tines 21 by means of the hooking tool 25 (FIG. 8). The cap is thus positioned in the ring 23 as shown in FIG. 9 so that with four loops 20 and four tines 21 the skirt 16 assumes a somewhat square shape as shown in FIG. 9, but with sufiicient clearance to permit'the expanded skirt to be readily slipped over the top of the pole P. The cap is fabricated of a stretchable elastomeric material which permits the stretching or expanding of the skirt onto the ring 23 of the hoop. Depending upon the diameter of the pole and the caps to be used it may be desirable to utilize more than four tines 2 1 and loops 20. Likewise the number of the ribs 18 may be varied and it is not essential that each rib be provided with a loop 20.

With the cap in position as shown in FIG. 9 the lineman lowers the installing tool 22 until the top of the pole P strikes the inside of the lid 17. Continued downward 'by the loops 20 extending through them. One or both ends of the ribs may be fastened by means of an adhesive strip 30 to keep the rib from turning. Alternatively, the ribs may be cemented to the skirt at 31 (FIG. 5) and the loops replaced with common screw-eyes 32, 32. Likewise the ribs may be inserted in molded pleats 33 in the skirt and the pleats 33 may be formed either on the inside or outside of skirt depending on the optimum conditions. An eye 34 may also be formed integrally or cemented to the skirt at a position radially in alignment with each of the ribs. cap having the stiffening ribs permits the skirt to be expanded from top to bottom without axial deformation The lineman can simply lower the expanded cap over the top of the pole until the top of the pole bottoms in the cap thus assuring complete and permanent positioning. In the event that greater air circulation is desired, the thickness of the ribs 18A may be increased as shown in FIG. 5. In this way evaporation of moisture is permitted to take p ace.

It will thus be understood that we have provided an improved cap for poles and the like which has decided advantages over previous designs and which may be far more readily applied. The installing net is very simple and inexpensive to manufacture. Furthermore, the combined weight of the cap and the net has been reducedto a minimum. The clearance required to release the cap from the hoop permits installation even where there is a crossarm close to the top 'of the pole. The hoop may be annular or rectangular and the handle may be sectioned or extend for any desired length. The entire device and the The important function of the improved method of installing clearly enhance the ability to protect utility poles at a minimum of labor and expense.

Having thus described our invention, we claim:

1. An improved cap for the top of utility poles and the like which comprises an annular stretchable skirt having a stretchable top portion, a series of axially extending stiifening ribs secured to the skirt, and means adjacent each of said ribs on the periphery of the skirt for securing the skirt to a hoop to thereby stretch the skirt radially.

2. A cap in accordance with claim 1 in which the ribs extend substantially the full length of the skirt.

3. A cap in accordance with claim 1 in which the securing means between the cap and the hoop comprises a loop secured to each of the ribs.

cemented to the inside of the skirt.

5. A cap in accordance with claim 1-in which the ribs are inserted into molded pleats on the skirt.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS FRANK L. ABBOTT, Primary Examiner.

4. A cap according to claim 1 in which the ribs are 15 JACOB NACKENOFF Examiner K. E. PAYNE, L. R. RADANOVIC, Assistant Examiners. 

1. AN IMPROVEMENT CAP FOR THE TOP OF UTILITY POLES AND THE LIKE WHICH COMPRISES AN ANNULAR STRETCHABLE SKIRT HAVING A STRETCHABLE TOP PORTION, A SERIES OF AXIALLY EXTENDING STIFFENING RIBS SECURED TO THE SKIRT, AND MEANS ADJACENT EACH OF SAID RIBS ON THE PERIPHERY OF THE SKIRT FOR SECURING THE SKIRT TO A HOOP TO THEREBY STRETCH THE SKIRT RADIALLY. 